The Smile
by PraiseDivineMercy
Summary: A One-shot exploring the meaning of the mysterious "Rurouni Smile".


I do not own RK It belongs to the great Watsuki-sama. I'm just a humble student.  
  
"Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek it's own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." (1Cor13:4- 8 NAB)  
The Smile  
By Melody  
  
Kaoru was feeling annoyed. She had just gotten back to her room to find that one of her favorite kimonos, the yellow one with the pink flowers, had completely faded in the wash. She had wanted to wear it later that day when she, Kenshin and the others went to the Akabeko after she invariably burned lunch. She walked outside to find Kenshin, her face stern and commanding.  
  
"Kenshin you baka!" she yelled, surprisingly intimidating for her tiny frame.  
  
"Yes, Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin asked as he turned around to gaze at her.  
  
"Kenshin, you ruined my.!" Kaoru began to rant, until Kenshin smiled, his eyes deep and unreadable pools of amethyst. Something in the smile stopped her mid-sentence. Confused, her anger suddenly vanished, Kaoru walked off in a daze.  
  
"She so cute when she's angry." Kenshin thought as he began cleaning one of her yukatas.  
  
"Wow Kenshin, how on earth do you do that to Jou-chan?" Sanosuke asked with a smirk.  
  
"I know, it's like you hypnotize her or something." Yahiko added enviously, "Can you teach us?"  
  
"Oro, I don't think so, Yahiko-kun." Kenshin said with a small close-lipped smile and a twinkle in his eye.  
  
Kaoru walked back to her room and began wondering the very same thing when she saw the now ruined kimono still lying on her futon.  
  
"Could it be because.?" but she shook the thought out of her head and went out with her bokken to practice with Yahiko. Kenshin watched Yahiko and Kaoru practice katas as he hung up the laundry on the clothesline.  
  
"Yes, I know why my smile does that to Kaoru." he thought. The smile reflected all his feelings for her, the ones he knew; the ones he couldn't understand, the ultimate joy he felt at being with her.  
  
"Then why do you smile when she's angry with you?" he asked himself teasingly.  
  
"Because I love everything about her. Her anger, her temper, any imperfection only makes her more human, more real to me. I can only love her all the more."  
  
"Then why don't you talk to her?" the voice in his head teased again. A pained look came over Kenshin's gentle face for a moment before he could cover it with his usual cheerful smile.  
  
"I have done so many things in my life," he thought, "her friendship is far more than I deserve. Unhappiness follows me. And above all I want her to be happy. I will protect her happiness, even if that means she can never be with me."  
  
Later that day Kaoru stood working in the kitchen with a faraway look in her blue eyes. She leaned her elbows on the countertop with her hands framing her face.  
  
"If only Kenshin loved me," She sighed, "but he sees me as a child, a sister." Still lost in thought, Kaoru was oblivious to the smoke that began rising off the food she was preparing. Catching the smell, Kenshin ran in and doused the flames with a bucket of water.  
  
"You must try to be more careful Kaoru-dono." Kenshin chided, his face full of concern.  
  
"Come on Sanosuke, let's go to the Akabeko," Yahiko yelled, "Kaoru's done it again!"  
  
Kenshin cleaned up the kitchen while Kaoru went to change, hoping she would wear the blue kimono.  
  
Vocabulary: Baka- idiot  
  
-dono- "Miss" Like (-san) but an old-fashioned and more respectful term that Kenshin uses.  
  
Yukata- Japanese pajamas  
  
Jou-chan- "little missy"; Sanosuke's name for Kaoru  
  
-kun- used for children, like (-chan), but also old-fashioned and more respectful.  
  
Oro- the same as "huh"; a unique sound Kenshin makes in exclamation, confusion, or surprise.  
  
Kata-A practice exercise in swordsmanship.  
  
Please review, this is my first fic and any feedback is very much appreciated. I'm writing another longer fic called 'My Date With the Battousai's Daughter', but it's slow in coming. 


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